Austrian financial services company Wüstenrot Gruppe has selected Kyndryl for its mainframe modernization project.
The first phase of the modernization project was completed in 2024, with Wüstenrot Gruppe migrating its mainframe workloads from a third-party data center to the Kyndryl zCloud platform in its new "strategic environment."
Kyndryl's zCloud allows companies to host and integrate IBM Z workloads into the cloud, creating a hybrid-cloud solution.
This year, the companies aim to improve resiliency by implementing a Parallel Sysplex configuration to manage multiple systems and resources from a single platform.
“We are partnering with Kyndryl to modernize our IT infrastructure with the aim to further develop our product portfolio, scale efficiently, and continue our digital innovation initiatives,” said Roland Freitag, managing director, Wüstenrot Gruppe. “By working with Kyndryl, we are strengthening our digital interfaces, improving the quality of our services and partnerships, and ensuring that Wüstenrot Gruppe remains a major force contributing to a stable and innovative Austrian financial services sector.”
“Businesses like Wüstenrot Gruppe that embrace IT modernization can gain tangible business benefits,” said Maria Kirschner, managing director of Kyndryl Alps. “By leveraging Kyndryl’s deep mainframe skills and expertise and the flexible zCloud environment, Wüstenrot Gruppe can continue to deliver reliable customer services, meet evolving business requirements, improve resilience, and ensure regulatory compliance. This enables them to move toward greater digital agility and operational excellence.”
Details about Wüstenrot Gruppe's data center footprint have not been shared. DCD has contacted the company for more information.
Wüstenrot Gruppe is comprised of four companies: Wüstenrot Bausparkasse, Wüstenrot Versicherung and Wüstenrot Bank, and also has an IT services company called Wüstenrot Technology GmbH.
In the company's Annual Report for 2023, it wrote that Wüstenrot Gruppe had taken "decisive steps" as part of its effort to drive digital transformation.
In a written interview included in the report, Wolfgang Hanzl CIO and COO of Wüstenrot Gruppe and Wüstenrot Bank said of the group's plans for 2024: "We have ambitious plans: the further development of our legacy systems so that we can offer state-of-the-art solutions and services. We want to leverage nearshoring partnerships, network with global talent, and generate maximum added value for the Wüstenrot Group."
The report added that the group intends to outsource its data center services to its subsidiary Wüstenrot Technology GmbH, Salzburg. The year 2023 saw other administrative expenses, primarily including data center and other IT costs, of €13 million ($14m) up from €10.86m ($11.71m) in 2022. A 2024 Annual Report has yet to be released.
Kyndryl was previously IBM's Managed Infrastructure Services business until it was spun out in 2021. Earlier this year, the UK's Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) extended its contract with Kyndryl for another year for £2.28 million ($2.83m).
